tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89423959478982174672024-03-04T01:19:28.120-06:00Psalm One SchoolA reality-based family and homeschooling blogKerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-3453798407770039792012-02-08T14:19:00.000-06:002013-04-22T07:19:30.312-05:00No Need for PreschoolBubby would be classified as a preschooler by most people. If he were going through the public school system, he would not be considered old enough for Kindergarten, so I usually tell people he is a preschooler. I could use the term "Pre-K," since our local school district has a little two-hour Pre-K program. However, though we homeschool the older children, we have no formal preschool program at our house. No preschool workbooks, no preschool writing lessons, no preschool reading lessons. I do not drill him on his shapes, colors, or letters. I don't coach him daily on his letter sounds, or sit him down to talk about opposites, animals, or community helpers.<br />
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So what do we do? How is he going to learn all the things he needs to know for school? Isn't he going to be behind other kids his age? What will he do without the specialized knowledge he would gain from a two-hour-a-day or longer preschool program?<br />
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I'm going to share something that might cause some raised eyebrows. A normal child, living in a decent home, supervised and exposed to daily life and not deprived of adult interaction, does not <i>need</i> preschool. Yes, that's the truth. There is nothing that he can learn at preschool that he cannot learn in the safe and more natural home environment.<br />
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I do understand that preschool is a good option for child care. If you are not able to be at home with your child during the years from age three to age five, feel free to take them to preschool. But if you can be home with them, they do not need any professional intervention. You can give them a better real-life preschool education and have them completely ready for school by keeping them home and letting them experience life in a more natural, realistic setting. It need not cost money, and you shouldn't need to carve out a lot of additional time for planning and implementing your child's education. If you have time to prepare meals, do household chores, and make trips to the library, you have the time to educate your preschooler.<br />
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It is not wrong to send your child to preschool. If you feel like you need to or just want to, that is a decision you must make. You do need to do your research, however.<br />
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In the next few posts, I plan to give some ideas for a good preschool education at home, along with some important reasons for skipping the handwriting altogether. Here is a website for some great information on how people are doing without formal preschool, along with some interesting research: <a href="http://www.universalpreschool.com/">Universal Preschool.com</a>.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-31106327545400655282012-02-01T19:15:00.000-06:002012-02-01T19:15:02.893-06:00Books we have loved...I haven't updated this blog as far as our homeschooling goes in quite a while. I don't plan to remedy that right now, but some of our favorite books have been on my mind, and I thought I would go ahead and post about some that we have enjoyed.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS1=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=grelivboo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0142404152" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<i>Homer Price</i>: This book is about a boy who has many different adventures. Each chapter is almost a separate little story to itself, although the characters are consistent through them. Homer is a boy who lives in a small town of yesteryear. It is a funny book, and my 10-year-old son is really enjoying it. As you probably know, written narrations are a part of Charlotte Mason's recommendations, and my son was not doing too great at this. Lately, he writes a summary of each chapter in this book each week, and actually writes a nice, long paragraph. I think there is a sequel to it, and I need to find that book.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS1=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=grelivboo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0375755241" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<i>The Brendan Voyage: </i>My daughter and I are just finishing this one. I have really enjoyed it, and she hasn't. Still, I would recommend it, but maybe more for boys or adults. This is the true story of building and sailing a medieval boat to see if St. Brendan really could have sailed a similar boat to North America in the 6th century, before the Vikings. We used it as a geography spine, but there is so much more to the book than that. It was really intriguing.<br />
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<i>Life of Fred: Fractions: </i>My daughter has mostly liked this approach to math. You can see more about it <a href="http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html">here</a>.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-24915601248619084532012-01-03T16:42:00.004-06:002012-01-03T16:42:57.196-06:00EncouragementLast Sunday, our pastor's message was on Encouragement. He shared several scriptures about encouragement, and mentioned that old song, "Home on the Range," which talks about living in a place "...where never is heard a discouraging word..." How lovely would that be? Think of how many times we hear discouraging words! I was the recipient of some discouraging words the other day from another mom. Now, knowing her, she most likely didn't mean what she said, and I tried to keep that in mind. But still, all day long, her words rang out in my head, bringing dimness to my outlook.<br />
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I pray that I can be an encouragement to my fellow sisters in Christ. I pray that I can be an encouragement to my family and friends. We all hear enough discouraging words, I want my words to have the right spirit and build others up.<br />
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In the past few months, I have felt God might be asking me to encourage some other moms. I need to be doing that, and I feel like I've taken some of the right steps. I don't feel that I have the gift of encouragement, but Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us all to be in the encouraging business.<br />
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Joni Eareckson Tada should be role model for all of us that are seeking to be an encouragement. I stumbled across this video this morning, and it was truly a blessing to me.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/tU6q1r1Z9jg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-57639089617447324352010-10-12T11:06:00.001-05:002010-11-11T18:59:48.011-06:00Weeks four through eight<blockquote class="pullquote"></blockquote>I have been so lax in posting; this will be a quick summary of what we have done the past five weeks.<br />
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<u>Geography:</u> both kids are now into their mapwork. Here is what we do: First, we read the section of the book that is assigned. On a different day, they get two outline maps. One is a map with the places marked and the names written neatly on the map. (I usually choose the places that will be marked, and I try to use something that has some significance in the story, or if I know it will be important later on.) They also have a blank map, and their job is to copy those marks and names neatly onto the blank map. Then the third day (not always three consectutive days) they are given the original map to study. They have to pay attention to location and spelling, and when they feel like they are ready, we put away the marked map, and they have to fill in a blank map. Afterward, they can get the original map back out and correct their work. The next week, we will add one or two places on the map. <br />
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<u>Composer/Music Study:</u> We have changed this up. We used to do it near the beginning of the school day, but the other day our musical selection was over 30 minutes long! This caused a lot of grief, because the kids were anxious to get their day started. I don't allow multi-tasking (reading, drawing, chores, etc.) during our weekly "music study" time. I don't mind repeating the music in the background, but the music deserves to be really listened to a couple of times. After all, that is what the composer had in mind. It was not written to be background music.<br />
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So I was trying to figure out a way to make this fun for the kids, but still encourage active listening. I came up with the "Drink Party." The kids can order special drinks that we would not get to have on a daily basis. I made up some recipes and gave them fancy names. For instance, "Cowboy Roy" is root beer served in a frosty mug. (Apparently there is an alcoholic drink by this same name, but I wasn't aware of that at the time. oops!) I also have a couple of fruit juice drinks that are made with frozen concentrate and lemon-lime soda. I have a little electric ice crusher that I hardly ever use because it is so loud, but I do use this to crush ice for our party, to make it a more special occasion. :) The rules are that you remain seated until the music is over and no refills. I don't want it to be me in the kitchen making more drinks the whole time! I do allow a bit of talking at the table, but I do encourage them to mostly be quiet and listen. <br />
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The drink party has been very popular and the kids really love it.They even requested that we do this on a different day of the week while we listen to Shakespeare, so we are doing it then also.<br />
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<u>Shakespeare:</u> We are listening to a dramatized version that we bought on Audible.com. At first, I didn't want to do this because I thought it was a cop-out and my kids should read it themselves. But I did think of this: Shakespeare wrote those plays to be performed, and most people in Shakespeare's day only experienced them in that way. So while we are not watching a performance, we are hearing it acted out by excellent performers. After we are finished, we will watch a video performance.<br />
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<u>Outdoor Hour:</u> We have enjoyed some park days, but the past two weeks two kids have been ill. They seem to be on the mend now, so we will get back into our weekly nature study this week.<br />
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<u>Fall Break:</u> We are taking our Fall Break a week earlier than the school kids. We are going back to good old Branson, Mo. for some family fun. We leave tomorrow. Everyone is so excited!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-28924677357942234062010-09-07T13:31:00.002-05:002010-09-07T14:05:31.604-05:00Taking care of our workboxes (envelopes)Previously, I have posted about the workbox system that we use, and that we actually use clear poly envelopes instead of boxes. The envelopes are expensive, and I feel like they need to last us over a year, or else the system would be too costly.<br /><br />Here are some rules we try to follow to keep our envelopes in good shape so they can be reused longer:<br /><br />1. If possible, we keep the book in the envelope on days when it is not used. We have more books and notebooks than envelopes, so this doesn't always work. With bigger books, I've found it is better to not take them out and put them back in the envelope extra times.<br /><br />2. When replacing the books in the box, we return them to the envelope first. We tried just putting the book back in the box separately from the envelope, but soon found that the envelopes always ended up being folded or awkwardly crushed.<br /><br />3. We only wrap the string around the button one time. Sometimes the envelope doesn't even need the string to remain closed, but when it does, it doesn't help to wind the string around several times. This seems to save the string, and also helps mom. I might have 12-14 envelopes to prepare for school the next day. It's time-consuming to have to unwind all the strings.<br /><br />4. Mom is the only one who takes the Velcro numbers off the envelopes. This keeps them from getting lost, and Mom seems to be able to best handle that Velcro. Even though I used sandpaper to prep the area for the sticky dots, they still have trouble staying on, and you can't just rip the number off. You have to hold both pieces of the Velcro and pull them apart gently. This is another reason we chose not to use the number strips called for in the workbox book.<br /><br />5. The biggest books are the hardest for the envelopes to handle. If a book completely fills your envelope, you can bet that the envelope won't last the year out. You just have to decide if it's worth it to continue sticking it in an envelope, or figure out another method.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-87635875170557864332010-09-07T07:54:00.007-05:002010-09-07T13:26:48.839-05:00Week Three Recap<blockquote class="pullquote"><p>I had enough "demo-skipping" when I was in school.</p><p><br /></p></blockquote><span style="font-size:78%;">We are using AmblesideOnline curriculum, Years 4 and 6.</span><br /><br />Dad brought home a super-fancy little scale home from work that would measure in grams so that Peanut could do one of her science demonstrations. The demonstration did not work out as planned, I think maybe the scale was too sensitive. She actually has had a few demonstrations this year. We try to always do anything mentioned in our book. I had enough "demonstration skipping" when I was in school. I am sure we did less than 10 hands-on projects in science, and that counts watching something the teacher did, at least up until high school.<br /><br />We got an audiobook of Robinson Crusoe. It is better that way, I don't have to stumble over words, etc.<br /><br />We did some nature study at the local park. Each kid picked a tree. We took samples of the leaves home for identification, then by the time we all got time to look ours up, the samples had deteriorated quite a bit. Ooops. Guess we'll repeat next week. We did see a ground squirrel sticking his head up out of his little hole, so that was fun. I am not a fan of ground squirrels and moles, but this one was at the park, so I can live with that.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6L_1N_SF3k0BIp-IpV4UMRHa2qlfEkNKivye2jxzBL-yAjruzu4Q8UzAv6iZ8Q3iRvkBKq_Dfqgzj0Xq83OQLZ8qSCb6BKJX3SzRuhm2pHYqhzZdkojinVVIpbcUfLZiFzNkbHmBud-D/s1600/Uinta+ground+squirrel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6L_1N_SF3k0BIp-IpV4UMRHa2qlfEkNKivye2jxzBL-yAjruzu4Q8UzAv6iZ8Q3iRvkBKq_Dfqgzj0Xq83OQLZ8qSCb6BKJX3SzRuhm2pHYqhzZdkojinVVIpbcUfLZiFzNkbHmBud-D/s320/Uinta+ground+squirrel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514158421018028162" border="0" /></a><br />This is not the one we saw, it's just a picture off the ol' Internets. We couldn't get to our camera quickly.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-14219898211409393342010-08-28T09:22:00.008-05:002011-08-31T21:23:15.894-05:00First two weeks of schoolThe first two weeks are behind us! It happened so quickly, I didn't even get a chance to post the first week recap. Here are some highlights and things I learned:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXZl7DLNrNAPJVHQLKbOwbRrCLzdowxwZsgYw-S0dV8gsy7ho54Jt-r4YyTGtEmzGknK1kC5gx_aT-itsjLVxYMMctzZ1cMh6ATHeO9YYcbtslQS2m7oTwRwkl95AfrHYtw10whWhtZcO/s1600/defoe1-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510473894307036194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXZl7DLNrNAPJVHQLKbOwbRrCLzdowxwZsgYw-S0dV8gsy7ho54Jt-r4YyTGtEmzGknK1kC5gx_aT-itsjLVxYMMctzZ1cMh6ATHeO9YYcbtslQS2m7oTwRwkl95AfrHYtw10whWhtZcO/s200/defoe1-1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 128px;" /></a><br />
1. Robinson Crusoe is going to be a hard read. Not that it is not a good book. It is so interesting, and we are going to like it. But it is just hard to read. I am reading aloud, because that is what <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/">Ambleside</a> recommends with this book. It is difficult reading. The spelling, grammar, and capitalizations are crazy. At least, not what we are used to in this century, and you are supposed to use the unabridged version. However, I wish I had searched longer for a more corrected copy. I find myself stopping and stumbling over the words. I've already printed out this copy, so it will have to do, and maybe it will end up being good for me.<br />
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2. I am already tweaking the schedule to allow for shorter readings on almost all of our books. I felt like I had split things up adequately, but it helps morale around here if the reading from one book is less than four pages. That seems to be the magic number, no matter the size of the book and type. So I'm happy to oblige. They get a few more assignments per day, but no one has complained about that.<br />
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3. Junior is reading from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0849907152?ie=UTF8&tag=grelivboo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0849907152">It Couldn't Just Happen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=grelivboo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0849907152" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. He has specifically requested that this book be assigned every day, no matter what. Wow! So that is a good endorsement for that book, from the boy who wants to cut every extraneous second from the schoolday.<br />
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4. Peanut is reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618968636?ie=UTF8&tag=grelivboo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0618968636">The Hobbit</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=grelivboo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0618968636" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. She didn't want to like it, it is a long book and she is not a fast reader yet. However, she really loves it now. I wish I had been "forced" to read it as a child! :)<br />
<div align="center"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/2011%20Blog/DSC_0918-1.jpg" style="padding: 6px;"</img></div>5. We had a zoo picnic with our homeschool group. This is a fun way to see our friends, but not the greatest way to see the zoo. We did not see a great deal, but we had a great time, and there were a lot of animals out early in the day because of the cool morning weather.<br />
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6. Our other Outdoor Hour was spent visiting our local nature park. Much of the water has dried up, but little Bubby was still able to feed some catfish and carp, so he was very happy about this. We met friends for this excursion too, but it was a smaller crowd. :) We did a color scavenger hunt, looking for various colors in nature.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-73478038841279332342010-08-24T17:13:00.002-05:002010-08-24T18:13:53.579-05:00More about our workbox systemMy kids end up having about 8 envelopes each day. These are for things they do individually; we have other things we work on as a group.<br /><br />I mentioned yesterday that we do not use a Schedule Strip which is recommended in the <a href="http://www.workboxsystem.com/purchaseebook.html">eBook</a>. We found we didn't really need this as all our school books can be contained in the envelopes, and there is no need to go to centers, etc. A note on the book will tell them if it is something they need to do with me.<br /><br />I did like the idea of putting each box, when finished, in another container. In practice, this was a bit confusing, and I felt like it also took up too much space. We have found that for both children, just the knowledge that they have completed one workbox and are moving up to the next number has been enough. My son in particular likes to see how many envelopes he has at the beginning of the day.<br /><br />The kids do their work at our dining room table, if it is desk work such as handwriting. I make an effort to schedule so that they are not having to share the table. If it so happens that they are sharing the table, we have a handy solution. We purchased some cardboard display folders (like you would use at a science fair) and cut them down to make little dividers. Each child has their own, and we can affix things like a handwriting chart or math chart to our folders. This blocks out a lot of distractions, as well as helping them with some reminders they might need. Much of our work is reading, and they can choose where they want to do that, whether in their own room, the living room, Mom's room, just anywhere that is comfortable and quiet.<br /><br />The last thing: once in a while I put a small treat in one of the envelopes. Not often enough that they expect it, but it is fun to get a Hershey's Miniature or a Starburst at the bottom of the envelope!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-67628334056293938452010-08-23T11:02:00.007-05:002014-02-03T13:16:48.721-06:00How I use the workbox method with Charlotte MasonLast year I read about Sue Patrick's <a href="http://www.workboxsystem.com/">Workbox System</a> and was eager to try it. I could understand how it would help my children to become more independent with their school day, but when I investigated the Internet for people who used the method, much of what I read was speaking of children that were a little younger than mine (3rd and 5th grades last year.)<br />
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This post will tell how we adapted the system to work for us, and to work with the Charlotte Mason approach that we try to follow.<br />
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First, let me just recommend that you not look at my instructions as a basis of the system. I do several things differently. If you are really interested in this approach, please purchase the <a href="http://www.workboxsystem.com/purchaseebook.html">eBook</a> and read it. (It's not too long.) It is available instantly through a download, so you can get started quickly. Then you can adapt to your own needs. Sometimes I will mention items that are in the book without explaining, but if you search for other bloggers who are doing workboxes, you will probably see pictures of what I'm talking about.<br />
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After reading the eBook, I began to realize that some of the concepts, such as repetition, would not exactly mesh with Miss Mason's philosophy. I also do not put "fun" things in my workboxes, as I want to allow my children the pleasure of getting their work done so that they can choose afterward what will be done for fun. I don't think Ms. Patrick's way is wrong, but I just want to do things differently than that.<br />
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Our workboxes are really not boxes at all. We use <a href="http://www.staples.com/Staples-Poly-Envelopes-w-Side-Opening-Letter-Clear-10-Pack/product_486515?cmArea=SEARCH">clear poly envelopes</a> which are found at office supply stores. They take up less space and are more suited for our books than a plastic shoebox. They are more than $1.00 a piece, but that was the most expensive part of our system. The envelopes are durable, and though once in a while one will be destroyed, most of ours lasted through last year and are being used again. They can be repaired fairly well with clear packing tape. This year, we have rules for taking better care of our envelopes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGlC-Zrcm2U5nzQnWtH41H1MxxnVOc2ndmlITloGQ00GklfkS3qKvBywNjGtrG-BpL1PAm2fnRNJN-OmIc7q8XVFUIXiI6fUr-oKb-PM-hxav5-mxO1k6huA-ZcEt4vc3G8asgyR83dbz/s1600/DSC_0820-1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGlC-Zrcm2U5nzQnWtH41H1MxxnVOc2ndmlITloGQ00GklfkS3qKvBywNjGtrG-BpL1PAm2fnRNJN-OmIc7q8XVFUIXiI6fUr-oKb-PM-hxav5-mxO1k6huA-ZcEt4vc3G8asgyR83dbz/s320/DSC_0820-1.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508732593153176546" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 198px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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Each child has a milkcrate-like container. I already had a couple of these that I have used for years for other purposes, so those were free for me.<br />
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I use <a href="http://www.preschoolprintables.com/calnum/calnumnummisc.shtml">calendar numbers</a> (use link or Google it) to number the envelopes. These are attached with Velcro dots so they can be removed. I laminated mine to make them more durable. Each envelope has a loopy dot of Velcro and the numbers have the hook side. I used self-adhesive dots and scratched the plastic a bit with sandpaper in one spot to try to get the adhesive to stick better. I will call them box numbers after this, but use the term "calendar numbers" when you search.<br />
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Each day, I slip the books for the day into the envelopes. If we are using the same book two days in a row, I leave it in the folder, and change the number if needed. I add anything needed to complete the assignment, such as pencil and paper, or math items. Usually science equipment doesn't fit, so that will be laid out where the demonstration will be performed (i.e. kitchen or bathroom.)<br />
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I use small Post-its attached to the book to write the specific assignment for the day. Usually it will be page numbers to read. If needed, I will add notes such as, "Read this with Mom," and so on. I put this either on the cover of the book or use it for a bookmark.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqShC4zEjSRaHcPHBGNl7xDJJf4szmrf5wD5K5LdXMU11pF3uB3eig1ft94bAp5YFkz0mxTj101bezWxEx-Vhyphenhyphenva3oLevDTDpbLJnmdgsMWLRrt3AI4oVu0_P6i-ZnsYN0u4J0l7lPGQLr/s1600/DSC_0827.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqShC4zEjSRaHcPHBGNl7xDJJf4szmrf5wD5K5LdXMU11pF3uB3eig1ft94bAp5YFkz0mxTj101bezWxEx-Vhyphenhyphenva3oLevDTDpbLJnmdgsMWLRrt3AI4oVu0_P6i-ZnsYN0u4J0l7lPGQLr/s320/DSC_0827.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508730140773365314" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 224px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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I arrange both boxes at the same time, hoping to prevent a bottleneck situation where both kids need my help at the same time. I also space assignments out so that items that require handwriting are not back-to-back. Once they are in the box the way they need to be, I use the box numbers to label them. The kids pick each envelope up in order and return it to the back of the box when they are finished. (The workbox book suggests that the child have a separate box in which to place the completed work, but my kids found it confusing and it cluttered up our space. That may be because they are older, and they find it motivating just to see the numbers climb higher and higher towards the end.)<br />
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Our family does not do a number strip on which to place the box numbers. I will add more on that later.<br />
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We do have a bit of time at the beginning of the school day to do any of our work that is done together, such as reading the Bible, composer and art study, Spanish, and Shakespeare . The workboxes are for individual work, and they come after our group work. Handicrafts, music practice, free reading, playing, and nature study happen mostly in the afternoon, and are not scheduled in workboxes.<br />
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This post is getting a bit long, so I will close it and add more tomorrow about how we take better care of our envelopes, and more detail about how we use these.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-19139907955042203412010-08-16T15:32:00.005-05:002010-08-16T16:08:05.043-05:00Back to School DayToday was our first day of scheduled school for the year. It went pretty well. Mostly because I scheduled a very light day for getting started. We started at 8:30 and everything was done by 11:00!<br /><br />We are following AmblesideOnline.com again this year. Junior is doing Year 4 and Peanut is doing Year 6. Bible, Spanish, Latin, Art, Music, Nature Study and Shakespeare/Plutarch are all done together, then we split up for History, Geography, Science, Math, Writing/Grammar, and Literature.<br /><br />The big kids did really well getting back into the swing of things, but little Bubby didn't like it much. He did enjoy watching the DVD that we watched for Spanish. He will probably pick up some of that, since it is repetitive.<br /><br />This year I did something a bit different. I took pictures of the books each kid is using for the first term (12 weeks) of the year.<br /><br />Here is Peanut's:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGJzdy8rFegWmuWWmMVqL1BhLjH1aZC5KPwQz5ZMauPdotPtDSxRPvTS_joaIO91ughERT0o2gFz2s0ROpqocumySPo-QUW1MGqgSyb-Ah_4lu6NiEpH717OIwonMpEqrX2hnjCBIQJq1/s1600/DSC_0782.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGJzdy8rFegWmuWWmMVqL1BhLjH1aZC5KPwQz5ZMauPdotPtDSxRPvTS_joaIO91ughERT0o2gFz2s0ROpqocumySPo-QUW1MGqgSyb-Ah_4lu6NiEpH717OIwonMpEqrX2hnjCBIQJq1/s320/DSC_0782.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506111458463913586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and Junior's:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs0XHZ-U7xbAj9imA9qO3QkOixJhBqIi-nrZj1aluUGCoaiM70nMkJJ_xRIzg_Rp2pMoc1gFa7KLsp7XoVoIRhnrzkZg5_ta0AbFdLQOHVULtbVfmboQPBrW73qhf-OIPPTPvXWOxci-3/s1600/DSC_0779.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs0XHZ-U7xbAj9imA9qO3QkOixJhBqIi-nrZj1aluUGCoaiM70nMkJJ_xRIzg_Rp2pMoc1gFa7KLsp7XoVoIRhnrzkZg5_ta0AbFdLQOHVULtbVfmboQPBrW73qhf-OIPPTPvXWOxci-3/s320/DSC_0779.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506117370413866162" /></a><br /><br />Another tradition we do is to fill out an info sheet on what everyone is interested it, how tall, how old, favorite subject, and we add a picture to that.<br /><br />Well, that's it for the first 12 weeks. I left out Plutarch's Lives, because I haven't gotten it printed out yet. Julius Caesar is our first guy to study. Also, I haven't figured out what Peanut will do for Latin. The Prima Latina is a little too young for her, and she has already done the first six lessons or so, but it will be good to review that, and if she hates it too much, I will find something else.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-52115846678424205662010-07-29T09:45:00.004-05:002010-07-29T10:31:57.234-05:00Printing Public Domain E-books at a Low CostSince we follow a Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum, many of our books can be found online as downloadable public domain e-books. This saves quite a bit of money, but reading the texts can cause a problem. The books can be read off the computer screen, but this isn't always convenient, and usually involves some special set-up by mom to get the margins at a convenient width and get the brightness adjusted to it is comfortable to read for a longer period. Another problem is that the computer will be tied up sometimes because our math curriculum (Teaching Textbooks) requires computer use.<br /><br />We don't own a Kindle or other electronic reader, and that is not in the budget for our school.<br /><br />Last year, I printed off a couple of texts with our ink jet printer, and that worked pretty well. I finally calculated the cost of that, and found that I would have been better off buying a used book!<br /><br />This summer, I came across some good <a href="http://users.gobigwest.com/rosegate/format.html">directions</a>* for printing e-books at a low cost. This website is focused on the Robinson Curriculum, which also uses many public domain books. A black and white laser printer will print these books for a much lower cost, so I researched and found a printer on sale this summer for $60. I calculated the cost according to <a href="http://users.gobigwest.com/rosegate/printing.html#calc">their method</a>, and found that in almost every case, I could print a book for less than I could buy it used. I make my books half-size, as they recommend.<br /><br />A tip that I have learned is to format all your printing on MS Word (or your similar software) and do not change any printer settings except for asking it to duplex, either manually or automatically. Print small samples of just a few pages to make sure your printer is going to do what you want.<br /><br />I am currently experimenting with different binding methods to find what works best for my family. More on that later.<br /><br />*<span style="font-size:78%;">I have found that these directions work for almost everything, except poetry and Shakespeare's plays. For that, you are better off printing as-is on half-sized paper. If poetry is included in the text, you will have to manually format it.</span>Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-50406743346211533032010-07-28T09:14:00.006-05:002010-07-28T09:52:15.941-05:00Preparing for the FallI have spent the past few days getting my schedule ready for next year. Last year we used AmblesideOnline for our core, and we are doing the same this year. We really enjoyed getting into a more Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum, and I feel like this is where we will stay.<br /><br />To plan our year, I started out by choosing which years we will be using from the AmblesideOnline site. This year my daughter will follow Year 6, and my son will follow Year 4. There are different reasons why we chose not to combine both kids in one year, and I will go into that on another post.<br /><br />To get everything lined out, I made tables in MS Word with five days across the top, and each subject down the left side of the page. I made separate tables for both children, although some areas are the same for both of them. This way, they will be able to see their weekly chart and tell how much they need to do for the day.<br /><br />Here is a small shot of what they look like:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_8oVBRBkEhUE_rCFDmAtASA3TRUXtrHDTR5na232L8TaHpEXYJXaFKZ4Tt6yBnAslBxy-qrrL1VVWnJ8lnM7SPLY_HOcM0KUu3VBz6omq8wfg-igdhIrp8hBQ9nwK20dOhxtv4u_gmXm/s1600/week2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_8oVBRBkEhUE_rCFDmAtASA3TRUXtrHDTR5na232L8TaHpEXYJXaFKZ4Tt6yBnAslBxy-qrrL1VVWnJ8lnM7SPLY_HOcM0KUu3VBz6omq8wfg-igdhIrp8hBQ9nwK20dOhxtv4u_gmXm/s320/week2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498969744314934162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />AmblesideOnline gives you the suggestion of work that should be completed each week of the program. I spaced things out so that Mondays and Fridays are light days, and Tuesday - Thursday are our heavy days. This will work out best with the schedule of outside activities we are planning. I also added a tweak based on my experiences last year. Instead of 12-week terms as AmblesideOnline suggests, I fit everything into 11-week terms. This gives us a catch-up week if we need it, or a field-trip week.</p>Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-18882022344285139752010-05-30T20:55:00.003-05:002010-05-30T21:02:33.334-05:00A New Birthday TraditionThis year for Junior's birthday, we started a new tradition. I think, anyway. Junior asked for a pie-in-the-face, so we gave it to him.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmRu6xxsVRjG9p4BTPWNy_Bx6uuavaK6jQcGguwtzJ4ObmZybXDlBR2qcu6IavA9AQSd3Y-7_GFviXX4AXm5mhLTny3Qf3ptTUIkYyKGCJNiPn20dxtuGW-qSlSL8UDmmIYLC1sbk11E-/s1600/DSC_0516.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmRu6xxsVRjG9p4BTPWNy_Bx6uuavaK6jQcGguwtzJ4ObmZybXDlBR2qcu6IavA9AQSd3Y-7_GFviXX4AXm5mhLTny3Qf3ptTUIkYyKGCJNiPn20dxtuGW-qSlSL8UDmmIYLC1sbk11E-/s320/DSC_0516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477247394761013474" border="0" /></a><br />For the pie, I used a graham cracker crust filled with Cool Whip. I think next time I will just use the Cool Whip in a foil pan, as the graham cracker crust was slightly harder to clean up. We threw the pie at him in the driveway, so all we had to do was hose off the driveway, then hose him off and everything was cleaned up!<br /><br />This was very funny, and made his day more special. He invited three little boys from the neighborhood over to watch, and now they want pies thrown at them on their birthday. Peanut does too! We have decided that the pie-in-the-face will be voluntary, of course. If you want it, you get it.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-73582890661806474752010-05-17T10:56:00.002-05:002010-05-17T11:06:22.196-05:00Kindergarten graduationSeveral people I know have kindergarteners in traditional school (public and private.) They are having little graduation ceremonies complete with caps and gowns.<br /><br />I have never done anything for my kids when they were done with their first "real year" of school. It seems very silly to me, but maybe I am strange. To me, it is an extra "thing" to put kids through, as well as the expense of a cap and gown for a quick photo opportunity.<br /><br />I have a fifth grader, and her friends are also "graduating" from fifth grade. I don't understand why you would do something like this. I mean, no one is going to stop at fifth grade (I hope.) You have seven more years of school! And that is just for someone who is not continuing their education.<br /><br />Maybe this year we will go to the park or some other pretty outdoor spot and have a photo session, and maybe some ice cream to celebrate the beginning of summer. But that is all that is "beginning" right now. She still has a long way to go.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-78167303866810907672010-01-31T12:20:00.003-06:002010-02-01T09:55:20.475-06:00Tot School - Pizza Game<a href="http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TotSchool.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tot School" src="http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/carisahinson/Tot-School.gif" align="left" border="0" hspace="3" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">"Bubby" is 39 months old.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Bubby got a game called "Noodleboro Learning to Listen Pizza Palace Game" for Christmas. He has really liked to play this game, and we've made it a part of Tot School. It has a couple of little pizzas in little delivery boxes, and two boxes of "toppings." The object is to listen to the other player's order, and then make a pizza according to directions.</span><br /><br />We don't always end up playing by the rules, but it is fun to take turns ordering and making pizzas. The game came with a music/story CD and a storybook, and those have been a lot of fun too.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/pizzagame.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 248px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/pizzagame.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/pizzagame2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/pizzagame2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I have searched it out, and this game is not being produced anymore, but it is not hard to find available for purchase online.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/balloon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/balloon.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> I can't get a good picture of this, but we have been using a balloon to work on a lot of gross motor skills. We play basic balloon volleyball, balloon catch, etc. Basic easy stuff, but I can't get a picture of course, since I'm one of the players.<br /><br />My daughter taught me a new trick. Before you blow up a balloon, drop one marble inside. Then blow up and tie as usual. The marble will bounce around inside and generally cause the balloon to act haywire. It is good for a laugh, and it does give us a case of the giggles. It makes the balloon's life a lot shorter, though.<br /><br />We've needed to play a lot inside because the weather has been so cold. Here in Oklahoma, we do know what snow is. It snows pretty much every year...a little. We rarely get a nice snowfall like the one this week. It has been so much fun to do all the usual "snow things" like make snowmen, snow forts, snow angels, and snow ice cream. It hasn't been all wonderful. The ice that came before the snow wreaked havoc, but still we are thankful for such a pretty snow!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/snowbug.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 240px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/snowbug.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>For more Tot School, visit <a href="http://1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">1+1+1=1 blog!</a>Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-44226380129703863262009-10-24T09:50:00.005-05:002009-10-26T09:06:51.757-05:00Tot School - Color matching and sorting<a href="http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TotSchool.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tot School" src="http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/carisahinson/Tot-School.gif" align="left" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em> <bold> Bubby is 35 months old.</bold></em></span><br /><br />Sorry I am behind on Tot School. These pics are from a few weeks ago, but representative of what we have been doing this past week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I made Bubby some color matching cards. I got them from the <a href="http://www.childcareland.com/free.html">ChildCareLand</a> website. This was originally meant to be an emergent reader book, but I made the pages into cards to better suit this activity. Each card has a different colored car, and I painted a clothespin to match the color of the car. He clips each clothespin to it's matching card.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/DSC_0109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/DSC_0109.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is an activity in which I get him started, and then he can work on it while I'm helping the older kids with their schoolwork. Tot School works better if I will sit with him, and let the big kids come to me for help. The way he sees it, Mom's presence is the same as Mom's attention.<br /><br />Bubby has also been helping me with laundry chores. I've found that for sorting, it is better to give him one color and have him pull everything that is that color to put in a pile. His favorite is to sort out all the jeans. It is challenging for him to lift some of that stuff out of the deep hamper, but he likes to show off his strength.<br /><br />He also loads the washer and pours the detergent in after I have measured it out for him. He loves helping with this chore, and I'm not allowed to load the washer without him.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/DSC_0112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 321px; height: 213px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/DSC_0112.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One funny thing: On the inside rim of the washer, there is a little sign with a picture showing that you should make sure all the items are all the way in the washer before closing the door. He has taken this to heart, and very meticulously will arrange each item until it is completely inside to his satisfaction. Great attention to detail!<br /><br />Check <a href="http://1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/2009/10/tot-school-life-school.html">1+1+1=1</a> blog for more Tot School posts!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-42168386038704137452009-10-13T13:37:00.004-05:002009-10-13T14:40:02.784-05:00Burgess Books OnlineHere is a list I have compiled of all the Thornton Burgess books I could find that are available for free online. <br /><br /><br />If you have read any of the Burgess stories, I know you have fallen in love with the little characters. We always look forward to hearing about nosy Peter Cottontail, mischievous Sammy Jay, and wise Grandfather Frog. For me, the best thing about them is reading them aloud. The dialog is charming, and I love doing the different voices.<br /><br /><br />I know that Ambleside Online curriculum recommends some of them, as do other homeschool curricula. They are wonderful stories which teach morals and values while exploring the world of wildlife.<br /><br /><br />The majority of the Burgess books that you can find online are at Gutenberg.org. There are a few more out there, however, that are not included on Gutenberg. Most of these are not available in text format, because they are scanned images. They do include the color illustrations by Harrison Cady.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/b#a717%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">Burgess books on Gutenberg.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.2020site.org/child_calendar/index.html" target="_blank">Burgess Bedtime Stories</a> from an old calendar.<br /><a href="http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=burgess&book=rabbit&story=_contents" target="blank">The Adventures of Peter Rabbit</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Bobby_Coons_Mistake/index.htm" target="_blank">Bobby Coon’s Mistake</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Jimmy_Skunk/index.htm" target="_blank">A Great Joke on Jimmy Skunk</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Neatness_of_Bobby_Coon/index.htm" target="_blank">The Neatness of Bobby Coon</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/A_Merry_Coasting_Party/index.htm" target="_blank">A Merry Coasting Pary</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Paddys_Surprise_Visitor/index.htm" target="_blank">Paddy’s Surprise Visitor</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Three_Bears/index.htm" target="_blank">The Three Bears</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Reddy_Foxs_Sudden_Engagement/index.htm" target="_blank">Reddy Fox’s Sudden Engagement</a><br /><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Grandfather_Frog/index.htm" target="_blank">Grandfather Frog Stays in the Smiling Pool</a><br /><a href="http://www.mount-hood.com/twb/b/cover-b.html" target="_blank">A Robber Meets His Match</a><br /><a href="http://www.mount-hood.com/twb/e/cover-e.html" target="_blank">Peter Rabbit Proves a Friend</a><br /><a href="http://www.mount-hood.com/twb/h/cover-h.html" target="_blank">Young Flash the Deer</a> <br /><br /><br />Additional Link: <a href="http://web.mac.com/lorikbrooke/iWeb/Site/Podcast/Archive.html" target="_blank">Podcast of <i>Old Mother West Wind</i></a> by Lori K. Brooke. There are audio versions of some of the Burgess books available at Gutenberg.org and Librivox.org, but I wanted to share these because they are different, and not as easy to find. The woman reading them has a grandmotherly, sweet voice, and there is background music added which gaves them a relaxing, bedtime feel.<br /><br /><br />Please comment if you know of any other Burgess stories available online, and I will add them.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-56620520986159949382009-08-23T13:58:00.005-05:002009-08-23T14:40:32.409-05:00Tot School - Wonders of the Bathroom<a href="http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TotSchool.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tot School" src="http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/carisahinson/Tot-School.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Bubby is 33 months old)</span><br /><br />This is the most interesting thing Bubby has picked out on his own. He loves to have me open the lid to the toilet tank and tell him about how it works!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/plumber.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 380px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/plumber.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>He has a book called <span style="font-style: italic;">What's Inside? Great Inventions</span> which has an illustration of the inside of an old-fashioned toilet tank, and it explains how it works. I don't know how much he understands about it, but he certainly does like to see all the parts and compare them to the picture. You can see the book lying open in the photo above.<br /><br />His older brother, now eight, loved the very same thing when he was two. In fact, that is how I potty trained him. His reward for "good work" was that I would lift the lid to the tank and tell him about everything inside before he flushed. I couldn't get little Bubby interested in the same thing while we were potty training, but now that we are almost to the end of that road, he is very interested.<br /><br />Usually he will ask twice a day if he can look inside the tank. We go in the bathroom and I stay with him until he has seen enough. He asks for the names of the different parts (I don't know what everything in there is called, but I do my best) and we talk about what happens when you push the handle. Then at least once he needs to get down on the floor so he can see the water pipe coming from the floor and entering the tank.<br /><br />I have never heard anyone else say that their kid was this interested in the workings of a toilet tank, although since both my boys have been so big on it, I am assuming there are other kids out there that like to see what is going on in that tank. One of the hidden mysteries of life!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-74131923946211549982009-02-12T20:51:00.000-06:002009-02-12T20:51:29.343-06:00Frugal Friday: Organizer boxes<a href="http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/Frugal-Friday-2-778611.png" vspace="10" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" /></a>When I was organizing my over-the-dryer cabinet a few months ago, I needed a little box in which to store some cleaning pads. I didn't have time to run to the store, and I wasn't sure they would have one as small as I needed anyway.<br /><br />So I took an empty cardboard box and made one. I covered it with some decorative Con-tact<span style="font-family:Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#333333;">®</span></span> paper to make it look nicer and make it stronger. It turned out very nice, and I saved the money and time I would have had to spend finding the perfect box.<br /><br />The other day, I decided that it would be better if the sides of the box were a bit taller. As I used and re-used the pads, they didn't want to stand up anymore, so I needed the box to support them so they wouldn't fall out and mess up my system! So I made a new one and took pictures this time. Here is what I did:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />First, I cut one side off the box for my opening.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 351px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Then I taped the original opening closed. I'm just using a small piece of tape, because my box is getting very light duty.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I cut a piece of Con-tact<span style="font-family:Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#333333;">®</span></span> paper the size to wrap the box on two sides and the bottom, and overlap the edges a bit.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Then I peeled the backing away little by little, adhering it to the box. It's not perfect, but this isn't going to the State Fair. *grin* I also cut a second piece of paper to wrap around four sides of the box, this time missing the box bottom.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/box5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the finished box, now holding my cleaning pads. (These are microfiber cleaning pads from <a href="http://www.fuller.com/" target="_blank">FullerBrush</a>, a gift from my mom.)<br /><br />A couple of helpful hints: The sticky paper is not necessary, but it does help the boxes look nicer and keeps them sturdy. I could have instead used wrapping paper for looks, and reinforced the edges with packing tape. I have tried an off-brand of sticky paper that is supposed to act like Con-tact<span style="font-family:Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#333333;">®</span></span> paper, but it is more difficult to use, so I don't mind investing in a bit of the real thing. *smile*<br /><br />The great thing about this project is that when I found that I needed a different box a few months later, I didn't have to go far to find a new one. It is really versatile, and if I re-organize later on, I just need to save a few boxes and I will have my own nearly free system ready!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-91281272251639492862009-02-11T09:26:00.000-06:002009-02-11T09:26:56.261-06:00Call Menus and Listening SkillsAs a teaching mom, I get tired of explaining things to my kids and seeing their eyes glaze over. I know they are not with me. I will redirect them and say, "Are you listening?"<br /><br />The answer is always something like, "Yeah. What'd you say?"<br /><br />Or when I asked them to narrate back to me,<span style="font-style: italic;"> a la</span> Charotte Mason, I get a blank look, and if I hear anything, it is not related to what we just read. It is usually related to the picture on the front of the book.<br /><br />It's aggravating, I know. But if you are in the same predicament, you might want to be a little easier on them. You might be doing the same thing yourself, but in an acceptable, adult manner.<br /><br />Have you ever thought about this: How many times have you called a customer service line and had to listen to the computerized menu twice? Or thrice? I have to do that all the time. As soon as I press "one" for English, my focus slips down the drain like spaghetti. Somewhere between "three" and "four," I get hopelessly lost.<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Now, what did they say? Was it "three" for account information? If I push "three", will I get a recording of my balance, or will they let me talk to someone? I really need to talk to someone. ..Oh, no! Now they are on "five"! What was "four"? Oh no, I think "four" was what I needed! Do I push "0" or "*" to make this thing repeat?<br /><br />I wonder if you can still buy a rotary phone?<br /></blockquote>After thinking about this issue, I am resolved to be a little easier on my kids for their listening skills. I'm going let them push "*" to hear the menu again, and repeat with all the coolness of the computerized lady. I might even say, "Your call is <span style="font-style: italic;">valuable</span> to me. Thank you for being a customer!"<br /><br />And I really am going to look into getting a rotary phone.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-86849397732930423162009-02-03T22:19:00.001-06:002009-02-03T22:42:05.469-06:00Bible in a Year<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2009/02/wfmw-nada-zilch.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/wfmwsmall2.jpg" vspace="10" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" /></a>Last year, I used a site similar to <a href="http://www.ewordtoday.com/year/" target="_blank">this one</a> for my daily Bible reading. My goal was to read through the Bible in one year, and I accomplished that goal!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I found it hard to make a habit. I wanted to do it first thing in the morning, but after I had my coffee so I would be a more active reader, and perhaps remember what I had read, rather than just go through the motions! So I made a quick folder of bookmarks that encompassed everything I like to do online each day. The list included my email, Google Reader, some blogs that I can't read through Google Reader, and a freebie site I like to check daily. I put the Bible reading link at the top and my rule was that I could not move on to the rest of the links until I had my Bible reading finished. This really worked for me.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">For more tips, visit <a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2009/02/wfmw-nada-zilch.html">Rocks In My Dryer</a>.<br /></p>Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-7503474640741717282009-01-19T14:13:00.008-06:002009-01-19T17:29:17.269-06:00Tot School: Gross Motor and etc.<a href="http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TotSchool.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tot School" src="http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/carisahinson/Tot-School.gif" vspace="10" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" /></a><blockquote class="pullquote"><p>Here are a couple of things we did this week to challenge those big muscles...</p></blockquote><br /><br /><p>I decided to share some picture of the gross motor stuff we do with Bubby as we go through the day. So often, I think we moms picture "school" with our little ones as some table time. They need to work on gross motor skills, too! Here are a couple of things we did this week to challenge those big muscles:<br /></p><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/magiccarpet.jpg" /></center><br />We called this one "Magic Carpet Ride." We used to do something similar in the laundry basket, which you can see in the picture. The blanket makes it a little more challenging, and it also makes mom worry less about possibly scratching the hardwood flooring! If you try this at home, use gentle starts and stops, but it can really work a little one's trunk muscles trying to balance. No standing up!<p></p><p>If this looks a bit chilly, sorry. We had a warm day, and the house was pretty warm, too. He had an afternoon bath, and he likes to have his "nekky" time!</p><br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/papoosie1.jpg" /></center><br />I saw this next one in a book as a recommendation for a before-bed activity. I can see why they would say that; I'm sure it's supposed to be calming to a toddler, having that sensory input. Alas, Bubby loved it so much that he wanted to be a "papoosie" again and again, and went a bit crazy. So I don't think it would work for us for bedtime...but, hey, maybe someone else can use it. As it turned out, it is still a fun game! We laid the blanket out on the bed, put him on one side, and helped him roll up and unroll himself. The first couple of times, we unrolled immediately after rolling up, so he wouldn't get scared of being rolled up. I think he will get to the point where he can unroll himself. I remember that my brother and I had fun with this game as older kids!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/picturebook1.jpg" /></center>Now for some other learning. Peanut has a book called Spot What. It is like the I Spy series of books. It seems a little busy for a toddler, but Bubby really loves this book and when Peanut will let him, he likes to sit with her and look at the pictures. Here they are getting in a little book time together. Bubby is in a verbal stage and he is learning new words all the time, and Peanut is so good to spend time with him naming things. In about five years, she is going to be a great babysitter!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/sewingkit.jpg" /></center>I'm not really sure how I can make this educational, but Bubby loves my little sewing box that goes with my sewing machine. He loves taking the little feet out and putting them back. He doesn't put them back in the right spot; that is a little too difficult right now. This is something I need to explore further, because this little box can keep him busy for 30 minutes at a time!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-62481816169713290422009-01-19T13:57:00.003-06:002009-01-19T14:05:08.561-06:00Math Monday: Division with Place Value Blocks<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/website/divisionblocks1.jpg" align="center"><br /><br />Peanut is getting bogged down in division. She often has this problem with a new concept in math, or when using an old concept in a new way. I have learned that she needs to go into it gently, with me alongside, and then she will eventually get it. She does not do well with the "sink or swim" approach. It probably works with some kids, but not her.<br /><br />We got out the old place value blocks this past week, and we are doing the beginning steps of long division with the blocks. This was tricky for me to figure out but we've got it for now. We use the dry erase board and work the problem out as we use the blocks for a concrete example of the problem. Currently, we are dividing by 2's, 3's, 4's, and 5's. It might get trickier this week as we step up to the larger single digits.<br /><br />I am going to try to get up a "how-to" post about this during the week.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-17465489782279127372009-01-16T09:04:00.005-06:002009-01-16T09:21:52.290-06:00Bigger Library<a href="http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/frugal-friday-birthday-freebies.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/tagsfan/Frugal-Friday-2-778611.png" border="0" vspace="10" align="left" hspace="10" /></a>I live in a medium-sized town near a metropolitan area. Our library is a nice place, very kid-friendly, has good programs, and they really try to be a help to all ages. But since they are small, they are not the greatest for homeschoolers, meaning that they do not have a huge selection of books, and what they do have is highly-utilized.<br /><br />So every year, I invest in a paid library card to the large metro library system. The reason I am charged is because I do not live in the same county as the library, and my property taxes are not supporting the library. In my case, I pay $40 a year, which sounds pricy, but when you consider that if I can avoid buying just two $20 books each year, the card has paid for itself.<br /><br />The library system has lots of great homeschooling books, and they are getting more all the time. They also have multiple copies of good quality children's literature, which means I usually don't have to wait longer than a week for the books I need for school. As with many libraries, they have an online catalog where I can request books from any library in the system, and go pick them up at the nearest branch. I don't have to go in and browse if I don't want to, and with a two-year-old to bring along, that is worth a great deal!<br /><br />For more frugal tips, visit <a href="http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/frugal-friday-birthday-freebies.html">Biblical Womanhood's Frugal Fridays</a>.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8942395947898217467.post-3081282383836136822009-01-10T19:14:00.000-06:002009-01-10T19:15:01.741-06:00Dollhouse on a BudgetHere is something my daughter is just going to love. She and her dad are building a real dollhouse, but that is going to take a while to get up and running, because she is on a kid budget, and the furnishings are a little expensive. Here is something she wants to do in the meantime.<br /><br /><a href="http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/buildmodel/feature/famf0200dollhouse/famf0200dollhouse.html" target="_blank">The Perfect Dollhouse</a>- a cardboard dollhouse that can fit under the bed, filled with recycled creations. This site has directions on how to make many of the accessories, and although they are heavy on the tea boxes, they look very simple to make. (I'm mostly kidding, I know you can use other boxes. It's just funny to me that everything starts with a tea box!)Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033811514795910340noreply@blogger.com0